HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0898.087 2020-2022 es/ Good(
Bill fqN
G,44.292
From: Cory
Sent: Sunday, April 16, 2023 5:49 PM
To: Evans, Cynthia F.W.; Galimba, Michelle M.; Inaba, Holeka; Kagiwada,Jennifer; Kanealii-
Kleinfelder, Matt; Kierkiewicz, Ashley; Kimball, Heather; Lee Loy, Sue; Villegas, Rebecca;
Council Testimony
Subject: support Bill 194 Council April 19
support for Bill 194 re. Council authority on rezoning time extensions -..c.
for Hawai'i County Council,9 AM Wednesday,April 19, 2023, Kona chambers
from Cory Harden,Sierra Club, Hawai'i Island Group
This bill should give developers incentives to fulfill conditions, if they know they may end up in front of Cour Coancil,
reporters,and the public trying to explain why their million-dollar condos are all completed, but the affordable housing
isn't even started. Or explaining exactly what is going on with their affordable housing credits.
This bill will prevent situations where everyone expects infrastructure improvements,such as roads,sidewalks,and sewer
lines,completed in the time cited in the rezoning approval, but then the time is suddenly doubled. Meanwhile,decisions
on budgets, infrastructure, and other rezonings have been made, under the assumption that infrastructure for the first
rezoning would be built on time.
This bill should help prevent people from getting rezonings with no intention of actually building anything, but solely to
boost the property value so they can sell later at a profit. An example of this practice was Lava Kuakini LLC getting
rezoning approval from County Council for an affordable housing development with a FEMA flood channel traversing the
property. Right after the rezoning was obtained,the developer put the property on the market and made millions in
profits, raising prices substantially for future homebuyers and renters.
Presently,the Planning Director is granting time extensions every few months. Records disclosing that an extension was
granted,and explaining the reasons why,are far less detailed and accessible to the public than with County Council.
Developers can even come in a couple of years after the deadline and get an extension with no penalty. This bill would
change this practice.
This bill will increase oversight to deal with changed conditions such as new flood zones and tsunami zones caused by
climate change,and requiring new evacuation routes. More people may have moved in nearby,vulnerable to impacts
from the not-yet-built project.There may be more traffic.A similar development may have reduced the need for this type
of project. More species may have become endangered.
This bill will reduce the influence of special interests that jack up prices for land and housing and undermine the quality of
life in our communities. Please override the Mayor's veto.
Comm. No.
+ % . o1
Ref. To: Pi council
1 Ref. Date APR 1 9 2023